Dinnertime interruptions, automatic dialing machines that call repeatedly and requests for long-gone housemates could all be history with new steps towards the creation of a national do-not-call registry for pesky telemarketers.
"We've given up on being polite," annoyed homeowner Freda Ackerland told Â鶹´«Ã½.
She frequently hangs up on telemarketers after a quick and decisive "Bye now."
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced Tuesday it will begin taking steps this month to bring the long-discussed list into fruition.
The CRTC said it will begin accepting proposals later this month for bids from private, independent operators to set up and operate such a database.
"Once an operator has been selected and has taken the necessary steps to put the list into operation, Canadians who prefer not to receive unsolicited calls will be able to add, at no charge, their numbers to the database. Telemarketers will be prohibited from calling consumers who are registered on the list," the CRTC said in a news release.
But legislation was first tabled for such a list more than two years ago, and critics say the bill has been watered down far too much.
"I think there are many who view this as a do-not-hesitate-to-call list, rather than a do-not-call list," said Michael Geist, a communications law professor.
The list was initially intended to be a flat out ban on marketing to listed phone numbers -- with exemptions set out by the CRTC. However, a number of organizations, or those calling on their behalf, are exempted.
The following organizations or businesses are exempted from the ban:
- Registered charities
- Political parties
- Nomination contestants, leadership contestants or candidates of a political party
- Opinion polling firms
- General-circulation newspapers
- Organizations that have an existing business relationship with a consumer
- Organizations to business consumers
Critics say those exemptions are the result of industry lobbying and have undermined the intent of the entire law.
A similar list in the United States does not exempt newspapers.
But David Golob, of the Canadian Newspaper Association, defended the decision.
"We are companies that trade in ideas, debate and discussion in national and local issues," he said.
The legislation was first introduced in 2004 by David Emerson and eventually received royal assent in November 2005. Emerson, now the Conservative international trade minister, was the Liberal industry minister when he tabled the bill.
Despite having announced new rules for the creation of the list, it's still unclear if and when the list will come into effect, and how the CRTC will enforce it.
With a report by CTV's Roger Smith and files from The Canadian Press
